Native son helps McAlester observe nationwide service

McALESTER, Okla. -- Remember. Honor. Teach. A retired Army colonel from McAlester who currently works as a civilian employee at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant talked about those tenets as they relate to the sacrifices of service members and their families during the first-ever Wreaths Across America service held here, Dec. 13.

Army Col. (ret.) Robert K. Byrd told the story of the late Spec. Tony Seig, whose remembrance bracelet he wears, as a daily reminder of the ultimate sacrifice paid by one Soldier under his command more than eight years ago in Iraq.

Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization founded to continue the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery that began in 1992. The McAlester service was sponsored by the Kilihoti Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It occurred simultaneously with the national service and was one of more than 900 across the nation and overseas that day.

McAlester Mayor, Steve Harrison, welcomed the attendees to the service at Oak Hill Cemetery before reading the proclamation he signed one week earlier declaring Dec. 7-13 as Wreaths Across America Week in the city.

As the keynote speaker, Byrd spoke about losing a Soldier, who was assigned to the 503rd Military Police Battalion (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C., just nine days before his 20th birthday. Seig lost his life when his barracks in Baghdad was struck by an enemy rocket, Sept. 9, 2006.

He also talked about trying to fulfill the wish of the grieving mother, who told him what she wanted most was for her late son to be returned to his hometown of Sunman, Indiana, before his birthday.

With no time to spare, Byrd contacted the Pentagon's Casualty Affairs Office and with the assistance of a lieutenant there and others, Seig's remains arrived in his hometown on his birthday with a police escort and countless mourners lining the street.

Byrd, who now works as the chief of the Command Initiative Group at MCAAP, said Seig's sacrifice is but one of millions made by Americans since the nation's birth.

"Tony's story represents the meaning of this day so appropriately," Byrd said.

"In that vein, I remember Tony's life and the impact his death had on his mother and entire family. I honor a young man who volunteered and whose life was extinguished before it had really begun. And, I teach future generations this social experiment we call America comes at a huge price that we must pay with blood from time to time."

When the seven wreaths were laid, members of the DAR and the Indian Nation Detachment of the Marine Corps League #438, who stood solemnly behind them, stepped forward one at a time as the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines and POW/MIAs were announced.

"The wreaths before you represent our commitment to remember the fallen," said Tammy Hinton, the McAlester WAA event coordinator.

"We also want these remembrance wreaths to symbolize our honor to those who have served and are serving in the armed forces of our great nation and their families who endure sacrifices every day on our behalf," she added.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, each of the wreaths was carefully moved to the entrance of the cemetery along Carl Albert Parkway, where they will remain through December.

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Col. Robert K. Byrd served three years in the Oklahoma Army National Guard before he received his commission and entered active duty in the Army, where he served 26 years. He retired from active duty on June 30, 2012.

McAlester Army Ammunition Plant is the Department of Defense's premier bomb- and warhead-loading facility. It is one of 14 installations of the Joint Munitions Command and one of 23 organic industrial bases under the U.S. Army Materiel Command, which include arsenals, depots and ammunition plants. MCAAP is vital to ammunition stockpile management and delivery to the Joint Warfighter for training and combat operations.